AdWords - Promotional Credit Question

[Zagek]

Hi,

I have a client who would like to try AdWords but doesn't want to pay and would like to use a promotional credit. We are a qualified company but unfortunately both people are on holiday at this time so I'm lumbered with this...

Please can someone help by telling me how to apply the credit so they are not charged anything (I.e. prepay, postpay?! ). I know there could be a £5 activation fee - which is not a problem if it has to be, but the £50 credit will help them get started and then if they do not want to continue they simply want to pause their campaign and not be charged anything else.

[AussieWebmaster]

you need a cr5edit card of some sort to open an account not just one of the coupons you get at the conferences

[Zagek]

Thanks for your help,

The client does have a credit card ready but would like to ensure they only pay the £5 activation fee.

My first post was a little over the top but really I just need to know whether or not pre or post pay would be best

Sorry!

[AussieWebmaster]

I always go with the post pay - you can always turn off the card

[AdWordsRep]

I just wanted to add a couple of thoughts to the discussion, if I may.

Yes, you can control the spend and limit it to just the promotional credit if you are very careful and very watchful, Zagek.

However, AdWords is not designed for the scenario you describe - and you would essentially be working-around the way the system is meant to operate.

Bottom line, AdWords is designed to run ads on an ongoing basis rather than up to an amount such as £50 and then stop. And to be very straightforward, it is probably a very rare thing for brand new advertiser to know AdWords well enough to know whether they will be successful or not after having spent that amount. Unless, perhaps, their account has been set up by a true expert.

I would suggest that the account be set up in a very targeted way, with just a very few keywords, and then given a very limited daily budget. Then I'd suggest that it be watched like a hawk, and paused well before it hits £50 in accrued clicks - because stats are delayed by several hours and you may hit £50 before that is reflected in the account stats.

In any case, please be very watchful, since depending on the keywords chosen and the budget set, £50 could be spent in a matter of hours.

AWR

[AussieWebmaster]

Good points AWR - I was not suggesting not paying... just that you needed a credit card - anyone who thinks they can do any insightful test with 50 pound is really wasting the time it takes to set up the campaign

the time spent monitoring etc. means someone is working for nothing or close to it

I think the coupons are best used as a thank you to clients for opening an account - the way hosting companies give them away when opening a hosting package